Splicing-thread gripper and slackener for knitting-machines



l (No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 1..

W. H. PEPPER & A. T. L. DAVIS. SPLIGING THREAD GRIPPBR AND sL-AGKBNBR PoR KNITTING MACHINES.

No. 443,462. Patented Dec. ZQS, 1890.

"mn ,uuml uluHU Y 3 Sheets- Sheet 2.

W. H. PEPPER & A. T. L. DAVIS.. SPLIGING THREAD GRIPPER AND SLAGKENER POR KNITTING MACHINES.

140.443,462. 'Patented Dep. 2s, .1890.

(No Model.)

(No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. W. H. PEPPER 8a A. T. L. DAVIS. SPLICING THREAD GRIPPEE AND SLACKENEE POR KNITTING MACHINESr No. 443,462. Patented Deo. 23, 1890.

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` UNITED STATES 'ILLIAM II. PEPPER AND ALBERT T. L. DAVIS, OF LAKE VILLAGE, ASSIGN-A ORS T OTHE PITMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF LACONIA, NEV

HAMPSHIRE.

SPLICING-THREAD GRIPPER AND SLACKENER FOR KNlTTlNG-MACHlNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,462, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed February 5, 1890. Serial No. 339,297. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. PEPPER and ALBERT T. L; DAVIS, of Lake Village, in the county of Belknap and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Splicing-ThreadGrippers and Slackeners for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the formation of a re-enforced or spliced section or patch in knitted fabrics in order to strengthen the same in any desired portion, as, for example, in forming a section or patch of double thickness at the knee-of a knitted stocking. Such re-enforced sections are usually formed during the knitting of the fabric by running in an eXtra or splicing thread at the proper place and knitting the desired portion with this splicing-thread, in addition to the usual or main thread or threads. Since in the class of fabrics to the formation of which the present invention relates it is de. sirable that the re-enforced section or patch should occupy only a portion of the breadth of the fabric, (or of the periphery thereof in the case of a circular web,) it is usual to feed or run in the splicing-thread at a predetermined point at each round of the knitting and to break it off at another predetermined point, so that the completed patch is made up of a plurality of separate splicing-threads knit in succession into the fabric. In feeding in the splicing-thread (or threads, if each spliced thread in the completed fabric is to be regarded as a separate thread) it is essential that it should always be fed in exactly at the proper point, in order to render the patch regular and of good appearance; that it should be fed in with certainty, in order that there should be no omitted splicing-threads in the completed patch, and that the feeding in should be eiected by a minimum of mechanical contrivances.

One of the methods which has hitherto been adopted for feedingin the splicing-thread has been to pass both the main thread and the splicing thread through the same threadguide on the machine head, whereby the splicing-thread is fed in by frictional contact therewith of the main thread, and in order that the splicing-thread may be fed or put in been proposed to entirely relieve the splicing- 5 5 thread of all tension at the moment when its end is to be fed into the needles, so that the f rictional contacttherewith of the main thread will feed it in, there thus being no strain to be overcome by the main thread. sion upon the feeding-in end of the splicingthread is relieved in these machines by slackening the splicing-thread, so that the splicing-thread hangs loose and entirelyfree from tension.

Now the present invention relates to splicing-machines of this general character, wherein the splicing-thread is fed in by the frictional contact therewith of the main thread, and wherein the splicing-thread is relieved of all tension and is slackened when it is first fed in; and the'present invention consists in improvements in the mechanism of such machines, which are simple in construction, cer- The ten- 6o tain in operation, and which can be added to nearly all types of ordinary ci rcular-knitting machines to render them capable of knitting in splicing-threads when desired.

In the accompanying drawings the iniproved mechanism is shown as applied to a 8o circular-knitting` machine of a well-known type for forming a ribbed circular web.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of the head of a knitting-machine having the improvements applied thereto. plan thereof, the splicing-thread-bobbin support and its adjuncts being removed; and Figs. 3, et, 5, G, 7, 8, and 9 are views of parts in detail.

Fig. 2 is a 85 A is the usual head-plate of a knitting-ma- 9o IOO 'lhe thread-guide plate l? is secured by a l bracket-arm G to the cam-plate E, so as to rotate therewith, and is provided with a single leading-in thread-guide eye c, (see Figs. l and 5,) through which both the main thread a' and the splicing-thread y pass.

The splicing-thread bobbin ll is carried by a bracket I, centrally supported on the rotating spindle (t, so that the bobbin turns with the thread-guide. To the bracket I is secured a vertical post d, having a horizontally-extending tension-bar e, suitably bent or notched at j" to constitute a thread-guide, and carrying an outwardly-projecting arm g, (preferably a spring-arm,) having on its outer extremity a tension thread-eye h. The splicing-thread passes upwardly from its bobbin over the bar c in the guide-notch f, and thence through the tension-eye 7L downwardly to the leadingin thread-guide eye c in the thread-guide plate F. The proper tension to the splicin thread is given by the friction caused by its passing over the notch f and through the tension-eye 7i, and also by the elasticity of the spring-arm g, which are sufiicient to cause the splicing-thread to be knit properly. The main thread a; is led from its bobbin (which may be located at any convenient place) through tension and-guide eyes t' 'i on the post d, and the bracket-arm G to the leadingin thread-guide eye c, through which both the main and the splicing threads are guided an d led to the needles.

In describing the mechanisms and operations involved in feeding in the splicingthread and in breaking oli: the thread on each round of stitches the latter will be first described, sinee an understanding thereof is prerequisite to a clear comprehension of the Vfeeding-in operation and mechanism. In passing from the upper tension thread-eye 7L to the leading-in thread-guide eye c, which lays the threads onto the needles, the splicingthread passes between a stationary grippingjaw j, carried by the guide-plate F, and a movable gripping-jaw J, which is capable of moving to and from the gripping-jaw j, and is held and guided in suitable ways Aformed in the bracket-arm G. A proper guide, as a curved bar I, is provided in the vicinity of the gripper' lformed by the two grip ping-jaws, so that the splicing-thread must necessarily always pass between the movable and the fixed gripping-jaws. This curved bar, however, is normallyout of contact with the splicing-thread, so that no tension on the thread is due thereto. When the movable grippingjaw is moved out of contact with the fixed jaw, the splicing-thread is free to be fed to the needles. lYhen, however, the vgripl'xingjaws come together, the splicing-thread is thereby iirmly gripped and its further feeding in is prevented. Il", then, the needles have been operating upon the splicing-thread, when the splicing-thread is gripped bythe gripper, it is broken off by the continued movement of the cam-plate E, which carries the thread-guide plate, the gripper, and the bobbin of the splicing-thread, and as long as the gripper holds the splicing-thread the splicing-thread cannot be fed in to the needles. '.lhe gripping of the splicing-thread,

' therefore, by the gripper determines the point in each round where the splicing-thread is broken and where the patch terminates, and the release of the splicing-thread by the gripper is prerequisite to enable the splicingthrcad to be fed to the needles.

During the knitting of the unspliced portions of the web the gripper always holds the splicing-thread, so that in the normal position of the gripper the splicing-thread is inactive. The gripper is primarily brought into operation by means of a pattern-chain K,operated in a usual manner, and having at proper intervals cams m, (which initiate the splicing operation) and cams n, (which discontinue the splicing operation.) The cams m and a occupy different planes on the pattern-chain. 'lhe number and relative positions of the cams 111y n on the pattern-chain are determined by the character of the work to be done, and as such a pattern-chain is in itself old and well known only one cam m and one cam a are shown. The pattern-cams m n co-operate, respectively, with two vertically-movable rods L M, guided in suitable ways formed in a bracket N, fixed to the headplate A. The pattern-cams lift the rods, and when the cams have passed the rods drop by gravity, their downward movement heilig limited by guide-pins o o, working in suitable guide-slots, said guide-pins also preventing any rotation of the rods in their respective ways.

Pivoted atp to the upper face of the bracket N is a horizontally-swinging lever I, co-act ing with bot-h rods L and M', its pivotal point being located between the said rods, so that when the inner rod M is raised it will swing the lever in the direction indicated by the arrow 2, and when the outer rod L is raised it will be swung in the opposite direction. The coacting faces of the rods L and M and of the lever l are properly beveled (see Fig. 3) to render their movements easy. Thenever moved to either position by one of the rods the lever remains there until acted upon by the other rod.

Alongside the lever l), aud pivoted to the outer end of the bracket N, on its side, is a vcrtically-swinging lever Q, the free end of which is held from lateral displacement and the downward movement thereof limited by proper guides on or in the bracket N. This lever Q is acted upon by the lever l in such manner that it is lifted by said lever l? when the latter is moved bythe outer rod L. This is conveniently accomplished by a beveled or cam-shaped projecting tongue (j on the inner end of the horizontally-swinging lever I, which registers with an aperture l1' in the vertically-swinging lever Q. Then the lever l is operated by the outer rod L, its tongue cu- IOO Iii.

ters the'aperture r, and the cam-face of the tongue, engaging the upper margin of said aperture, raises the free end of the lever Q.

The lever Q remains in this elevated position until the lever P is acted upon by the inner rod M, which swings lever P, so as to disengage its cam-tongue from the aperture in lever Q, which latter then resumes by gravity its normal lower position.

The lever Q carries on its lower end agripper-actuating earn-plate R, the essential characteristic of which is that its forward edge is nearer the axis of the needle-actuating cylinder and dial-plate than its rear edge. When the lever Q is raised, this gripper-actuating cam-plate is brought into the path of a rotating part which is in operative connection with the movable splicing-thread-gripping jaw J, and the cam-plate remains in this operative position until the lever- Q resumes its normal position after the completion of the spliced section or patch. The essential operation, therefore, of the mechanism between the pattern-'chain and the gripper-actuating camplate is such that the said cam-plate is brought into operative position when the formati-on of the patch is to be initiated, remains in this operative position during the entire formation of the patch, and resumes its normal inactive position on the completion of the patch.

The movable gripping-jaw .l is acted upon directly by a horizontal radial reciprocating cam-bar S, which slides in a radial horizontal line in suitable ways formed in or on the bracket-arm G, the movement of the cam-bar in either direction being limited by stop-pins s s, which engage the bracket-arm. The gripping-jaw J is formed on one side with a horizontally-extending open recess or notch t, the vertical extent of which is equal to the vertical tnickness of the co-operating portions of the cam-bar which fits and slides in this horizontal recess or notch. The cam-bar (see Fig. 6) has an inclined cam-face tt on its upper surface and an inclined cam-face t' on its lower surface. When the caln-bar is drawn out-that is, when it is moved radially away from the axis of the machine-its upper camface u engages the upper margin of the notch tin the movable gripping-jaw, thus raising it, and when the cam-bar is moved inwardly its lower cam-'face u engages the lower margin of the notch t, thus positively forcing the movable gripping-jaw downward and insuring a firm grip upon the splicing-thread.

The cam-bar S carries on its outer end a downwardly-projecting tappet-pin T, into the path of which the cam-plate R is brought when the lever Q is lifted. (See Fig. 1'.) Then the cam-bar S and its tappet-pin T occupy their innermost position,the outer surface of the inner edge of the cam-plate R is in the path of the tappet-pin (see Fig. l2)- that is, when the parts are in this position the inner edge of the cam-plate is nearer the axis of the machine than the tappet-pin.

'iVheln therefore, in its i rotation the tappetpin encounters the cam-plate, it travels on the, outer surface thereof, and in this manner the cam-bar S is drawn out, thus lifting the movable gripping-jaw of the gripper and leaving the splicin g-thread free to be fed to the needles by the frictional contact therewith of the main thread. The movable jaw of the gripper then remains in the uplifted position for an interval depending upon the desired width of the patch, and while it is so uplifted the knitting with the splicing-thread continues. The movable jaw of the gripper is caused to descend and grip the thread (and so limit the width of the patch) by a stationary inclined cam-plate U, fixed at the desired position on the head-plate, with its cam-face in the plane and path of the tappet-pin T. The coacting face of this cam faces the axis of the machine, so that when the tappet-pin is engaged thereby it forces the tappet-pin radially inward, thus moving in the cam-bar S, and so depressing the gripper, causing the latter to grip the thread, so that it is broken by the onward movement of the dial-plate E. The gripping edge of the movable jaw of the gripper is in close proximity to the leading-in guide-eye in the guide-plate, (see Figs. 4 and 7,) so that the broken end of the splicingthread is always left in the guide-eye, where it is subject to the frictional contact of the main thread the moment the gripper is raised. To insure proper frictional contact, however, it is desirable that the path of the main thread as it enters the leading in guide-eye should approximate that of the splicing-thread, and the last thread-guido eye t' on the bracketarm G, through which the main thread passes, is located with this object in view. As long as the lever Q remains in its elevated position,

IOO

with the cam-plate R in the path of the gripper-controllingtappet-pin T, the movable jaw of the gripper will be raised and lowered at each round of stitches. When, however, through the instrumentality of the patternchain, the inner rod Mis lifted, and the lever P is swung so that its projectingtongue q no longer upholds the lever Q, the cam-plate R is lowered below the path of the tappeti-pin and no longer co-operates therewith, so that the movable jaw of the gripper constantly occupies its normal lower position, gripping the splicing-th read and rendering it inoperative. There only remains now to be described the construction of the improved splicing-thread slackener and of the parts co-operating therewith, whereby the splicing-thread is relieved of all tension at the moment when the movable jaw of the gripper is lifted,in order that the splicing-thread may with certainty and instantaneously be fed in by the frictional contact therewith of the main thread. This thread-slackener is carried by the dial-plate E or the bracket-arm thereon, and its object is to give down the splicing-thread and leave it slack in a loop and entirely without tension.

IIO

The thread-slacliener consists, primarily, of a thread-slackening vertically-swinging lever Y, which is centrally pivoted on a verticallyextending bracket it', carried by the bracketarm G, having one end normally uplifted by a spring lV. Fastened to the upper and outer end of the thread-slackening lever V is a thread-clasping spring friction-plate X, extending alongside the outer face of the lever and normally held out of contact therewith by its own elasticity. Between the lever Y and this thread-clasping friction-plate the splicing-thread extends loosely in passing from the tension-eye z to the gripper, no friction on the thread resulting from this passage. (See Fig. S.) Alongside the inner free end of the threadelasping friction -plate X is a double-acting fixed cam Y, rigidly secured to the bracket zr, occupying a plane below the normal position of the free end ot' the thread-clasping friction-plate, and having an inner cam-face a', facing the lever Y, andan outer cam-face Z1. the thread slackcning lever carrying the thread-clasping friction-plate is'lowcrcd by a proper instrumentality, the free inner end of the friction-plate is brought into contact with the inner cam-face a', which forces the friction-plate into frictional contact with the slaekening-lever, whereby the splicing-thread is clasped between the said plate and lever. Further movement of the slackening-lever in the saine direction draws down the splicingthread from the upper tension-eye 7l, and at the same time gives down the portion ot` the splicing-thread between the thread-clasping f riction-plate and the movable gripping-jaw J, thus slackening the splicing-thread. This downward movementcontinues until the inner free end of the thread-clasping friction-plate passes beneath the cam Y, when the frictionplate springs away from the slackening-lever and thus releases the splicing-thread. rlhe instrumentality which lowers the upper end of the slackening-lever then ceases to act, and the latter is free to belifted bythe spring IV. During the upward movement of the outer end of the slackening-lever the inner face of the thread-clasping friction-plate X encounters the outer camface b (see Fig. S) of the cam Y, thus pressing the friction-plate away from the slackening-lever for the purpose of providing a sufficient space between the friction-plate and the slacltening-lever, so that there may be no possibility of the splicingthread being dragged up, and so losing the slack by the upward movement of the slackening-lever, The upward movement of the outer end of the slackening-lever is sufficient to carry the thread-clasping friction-plate entirely above the cam Y, so that it is left in its normal position.

The spring` friction-plate X and the coacting face ofthe slackening-lever constitute the two members of a splicing-thread clasp, which is normally open, but which, when the slackening-lever moves in one direction, closes and clasps the splicing-thread, and which again opens and entirely releases the sl'ilicing-thread when the slackening-lever moves in the opposite direction. The opening and closing of the splicing-thread clasp thus formed are effected by t-he cam Y and the resilience of the spring member X of the clasp.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that I use the expression threadslackener to designate the slackening-lever Y and all the parts carried thereby, and that I use the expression splicing-thread clasp to designate those parts carried by and constituting part of the thread-slackener, the function of which is to clasp the sl'ilicing-thread during the downward movement of thc outer end of thc thread-slackener. rlhc function of the thread-slackener is simply to slacken the thread, and the presence of the splicingthread clasp is to accomplish this function by clasping the splicing-thread, and consequently pulling it positively in a downward If, then, the upper end of direction.

The instrumentality for lowering the upper end of the slackening-lever consists in an inclined cam-plate Z, (see Fig. 9,) fixed to the head-plate A, the upper inclined cam-face c of which is encountered by the tail end of the slackening-lcver during the rotary movement thereof. The tail end of the slackening-lever travels up this inclined cam-face, thus lowering the upper end of the slaclfzening-lever in the desired manner. The camplate Z should be lixed in such a position that it will be encountered by the slackening-lever after the movable gripping-jaw J has gripped the splicing-thread and heforeit is raised to release the same. The threadslacltener can be operated to slacken the thread at any time during this interval. It is only essential that the splicing-thread be slackened after the knitting therewith has ceased, so that the slack cannot be taken up by the knitting, and before the gripper releases the splicing-thread, so that the moment the thread is released by the gripper it is slack, without tension, and free to be fed in to the needles by the frictioual contact of the main thread therewith. In the drawings the cam-plate Z is shown at the same place on the head-plate as the cam-plate U, which lowers the movable gripping-jaw J; but owing to the angular position of the slackeninglever its tail end does not encounter the eamplate Z until after the gripper has seized the splicing-thread.

An important feature of the construction and operation of the thread-slacl-:cner consists in the arrangement whereby its splicingthread clasp moves to and from the leadingin thread-guide and the splicing-thread gripper in a path approximating that in which the splicing-thread extends in its passage from the tension-eye 71. to the gripper, so that when the splicing-thread clasp of the threadslackener clasps the thread the thread-slackener pulls only upon the tension-eye and in IOC IIO

substantially-the direction of the path of the thread. (This is shown in Fig. 8 particularly.) 'lhere is consequently no strain upon the thread at the gripper, the existence of which mighteither break off the splicing-thread at the gripper, or else pull the thread outfrom under the gripper, in either case rendering the splicing-thread inoperative. rlhis movement of the thread-slackener in substantially the plane of the path of the splicing-thread is also specially adapted to the operation of the splicing-thread clasp. This splicingthread clasp enables the slackener to draw d own the splicing-thread directly and positively from the tension-eye, so that the entire slack is formed between the threadclasp and the gripper. Then when the slackeuer moves upward toward the tension-eye the threadclasp releases the thread, so that it does not take up the slack, and as the slackener moves up toward the tension-eye it does not drag against the splicing-thread and thereby cause the slack to be partly taken up` The mechanism for slackenin g the splicingthread and relieving' it of tension is thus very simple, consisting only of the slackeninglever, its splicing-thread clasp, and the operating-cams Y and Z.

An important feature of the improved means for gripping and feeding in the splicing-thread is that the splicing-thread can thereby be used with any arrangement of the dial and cylinder needles, no special arrangement thereof being necessary.

le claim as our invention-- 1. A feeding-in thread-guide of a knittingmachine, through which the splicing-thread passes, in combination with a thread-slackener which moves to and from said threadguide, said thread-slackener being provided with a splicing-thread clasp which clasps the splicing-thread when the thread-slackener moves toward the thread-guide and releases the splicing-thread when the thread-slackener moves from the thread-guide, and means for closing and opening the clasp upon the splicing-thread as the slackener moves, substantially as set forth.

2. A tension thread-eye and a feeding-in thread-guide, between which and said tension thread-eye the splicing-thread extends, in combination with a thread -slackener which moves between said thread-eye and said thread-guide, said thread-slackener being provided with a splicing-thread clasp which clasps the splicing-thread when said thread-slackener moves toward said threadguide and releases the splicing-thread when said thread-slackener moves toward said tension thread-eye, and means for closing and opening the clasp upon the splicing-thread as the slackener moves, substantially as set forth.

3. Athread slackener consisting of a swinging lever and a thread-clasping friction-plate carried by said lever, said plate and the coacting face of the lever constituting the two members of a splicing-thread clasp, between which two members the splicing-thread passes, in combination with a cam with which said thread-clasping friction-'plate is brought in lcontact by the movement of the lever, whereby said splicing-thread is clasped between said thread-clasping friction-plate and the coacting face of said lever, substantially as set forth.

4L. Athread-slackener consistingof a swinging lever and a thread-clasping spring friction-plate carried by said lever, said plate and the coacting face of the lever constituting the two members of a splicing-thread clasp, between which two members the splicing-thread passes, in combination with a double-faced cam, with the inner face of which said thread-clasping friction-plate is brought in contact when said swinging lever moves in onc direction, whereby said threadclasping friction-plate is pressed against the coacting face of said lever, and with the outer face ol' which said thread-slaokening frictionplate is brought in contact while said lever is being restored to its normal position, whereby said thread-clasping friction-plate is moved away from said lever, substantially as set fort-h.

5. A feeding-in threadguide of a knittingmachine through which the splicing-thread passes, and a splicing-thread gripper which alternately grips the splicing-thread to break it off and opens to permit the thread to be fed in to the needles of the knitting-machine, in combination with a thread-slackener for the IOO splicing-thread, which moves to and from said gripper, said thread-slackener having a splicing-thread clasp which clasps said splicing-thread when the thread-slackener moves toward said gripper and releases the splicingthread when the thread-slackener moves from said gripper, and means for closing and opening the clasp upon the splicing-thread as the slackener moves, substantially as set forth.

G. A feeding-in thread-guide of a knittingmachine through which both the main thread and the splicing-thread pass, and a splicingthread gripper which releases the splicingthread when it is being operated upon by the knitting-needles of the knitting-machine, and which grips the splicing-thread during the entire period when it is not being operated upon by the knitting-needles, in combination with a splicing-thread slackener which moves to and from said gripper, said thread-slackener moving toward said gripper while it is gripping the splicing-thread and before it releases said thread, said thread-slackener having a splicing-thread cla-sp which clasps the splicing-thread when the thread slackener moves toward said gripper and which releases said splicing-thread when the thread-slackener moves from said gripper, and means for closing and opening the clasp upon the splicingthread as the slackener moves, substantially as set forth.

7. A splicing-thread gripper having fixed and movable jaws, a movable cam-plate, and intermediate mechanism between said `gripper and said cani-plate, whereby when said eam-plate is moved to one position it eo-operates with Said `gripper and when said emrplate is moved to its other position itis ineffective to Control said gripper, in oombinaf tion with a swinging lever adapted when7 moved to one position to render said eamplate operative and when moved to its other position to render said cam-plate inactive, two movable rods acting on said swinging'lever to move itin opposite directions, and a patternehain controlling the movements of said rods, substantially as set forth.

S. The lever 1 and the lever Q 3o-operating` therewith, in Combination with the rods L M, acting` on said lever l? to move it in opposite directions, and the patternehain eo-opset forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our naines in the preseneeot two subscribing,r witnesses.

\\'ILLIAM ll. PEPPER. A'LlER'l T. L. DAX'IS.

`\\'itnesses;

TnonAs llAn, (ino. Il'. Ronv. 

